Just Another Summer
by DayDreamerGirl4life
Summary: Nico's gets back to Camp just in time to get roped into helping to cook for the Summer feast, a democratic crisis between the cabins, a quest with his least favorite cousin ever and useless pegasi riding lessons.  Just another summer at Camp Half Blood.
1. Back to Camp

**Hey, this takes place four years after The Last Olympian so Nico is seventeen. This is my first proper Percy Jackson fanfic, so I'd appreciate some feedback one the prolouge and first chapter please. And if you like it, please leave a review as I generally update my most popular stories first.**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

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Nico di Angelo threw his rucksack onto his bunk with a dull thud.

His cabin was exactly how he had left it three weeks ago. A little dustier but the cleaning Harpies were always stretched this time of year with eighteen cabins to clean. Plus there was only him in this cabin and they had to prioritise, at last count Apollo Cabin was up to seventeen campers.

He sat down on his bed and unceremoniously tipped the contents of the black rucksack onto his bed, and put them away in the drawer under it, neatly. Percy had found it incredulous when he was there that Nico didn't space his things out more, but he really didn't have that much stuff to space out. Just his favourite sword, a few different outfits, some barely used toiletries and the mythomagic figure of their father that Bianca had left him.

He picked up the figure and stared at it for a moment, thinking about his sister...

A gentle knock sounded on the door "Nico, are you there?"

Nico hurriedly dropped the figure back into the drawer and spun around "Who is it?"

"Philippa Weed" his fellow cabin counsellor said, making no attempt to open the door.

Nico had absolutely not idea what she could want "Err...come in?"

The daughter of Demeter pushed the door open but didn't step into the cabin "Chiron told me to tell you that the first Counsellors meeting of the summer is tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning."

Nico mentally relaxed "Oh...right cool. See you then" Philippa quickly turned to leave but Nico stepped towards the door "Hey Weed wait, is there anything I should know? You know, I'm a little out of sync having been on a quest and all."

The other year rounder turned and considered briefly "When did you leave? I mean have you met Jordan yet?"

Nico groaned inwardly, another pigheaded son of Ares probably or some kleptomaniac son of Hermes "No..."

Philippa smiled slightly "Mr D's son, so there's another counsellor to...debate with"

Nico smiled as well, though his lacked any humour "Oh goodie"

Ever since Percy and Annabeth had left for college the summer counsellor meetings had been a friendless round of squabbles and stupid bickering with him sitting at the top of the table with his arms crossed.

A sudden thought crossed his mind "Hey, did Zane make it back from his quest?"

Philippa nodded "Yes, he did very well; Lord Ares himself came here himself to congratulate him."

"Damm it" Nico said coolly, he'd thought Clarisse was bad but then her moronic younger brother had become head counsellor. Zane being mortally wounded would have meant the summer was off to a good start.

Philippa frowned disapprovingly and said, very sternly "You don't mean that"

Nico raised an eyebrow at her, the most emotion he'd shown yet "Err...yeah I do" At her frosty look the eyebrows went up "Oh come off it Weed, you're seriously telling me you like him any more than me?"

"I'll see you tomorrow" Philippa said coldly before closing the door sharply and presumably walking off.

Nico rolled his eyes at her priggishness, which certainly hadn't changed. She was constantly trying to stop the fighting at the meetings; the only interesting part of the whole thing was when Jodie Thrift had to dodge the hairbrush or whatever that Freya threw at her.

The dinner gong sounded through his obsidian walls and Nico walked out of his cabin in time to see Weed starting to lead Demeter Cabin into dinner.

The sun was just beginning to set over Zeus's fist and the sound of excited children and teenagers filled the air as Nico di Angelo waited, alone outside his cabin.

Just another summer at Camp Half-Blood.


	2. Council or Comittee?

Nico was not having a good first morning back at camp.

He hadn't been able to sleep the previous night and consequently had slept right through breakfast, having barely time to dress before he had to go running to this stupid meeting.

He had just about reached the steps of the big house when he tripped over an infuriatingly placed stone, sending him face down in the mud. He heard a snicker and looked up to see Jodie Thrift, the wiry counsellor for Hermes, smirking at him "Morning Angel"

Nico scowled at her as hauled himself to his feet "..That"

"Chillax" Jodie grinned much too brightly for ten o'clock in the morning "It's just a joke mate, you know like a humorous device or piece of wit designed to make people laugh"

"I'm not your mate" Nico said sullenly as he walked into the blue house, the younger girl skipping beside him.

Jodie laughed as Nico walked straight past the room where the other councillors were gathered along with Chiron and Dionysus "In here Nicky, like always"

Nico gave her a look of death, unfortunately not literally, and strode into the room and took his seat beside Zane Spring with the briefest of possible nods to his trainer and camp director.

As Jodie took her own seat, Zane turned to him and muttered with obvious disappointment "So you survived then?"

Nico crossed his arms and spared the other boy a glance "As did you"

Philippa from her seat opposite glared at them both and coughed warningly before turning to Mr D with a respectful nod "My Lord Dionysus as all the counsellors are finally present, may we begin?"

Mr D looked up from his magazine and scanned the table with boredom "I suppose if we have to have the infernal thing at all"

Philippa turned to the rest of the counsellors; of course Little Miss Perfect had got elected as council leader in his absence, brilliant "Right, firstly I would like to welcome Jordan Nixon to our committee..."

"We aren't a committee" Freya Vane, a daughter of Aphrodite with the most appropriate last name ever, interrupted "We're a council"

Next to her the counsellor for Athena's cabin sighed "There's no difference" Malcolm Smart said patiently "They mean the same thing"

"Yes well" Philippa said quickly before an argument started "Welcome to our council Jordan"

A youngish looking boy sitting quietly at the end of the table glanced round the table with a bright smile "Thanks Pip"

Nico nearly snorted and turned with the other counsellors to watch her reaction.

Philippa forced a smile "I actually prefer Philippa if you don't mind. Now we need to finalise plans for the summer kickoff feast..."

"Why?" Megan Shaft, the counsellor for Apollo, looked up from her iPod "The plans haven't changed for years. Our cabin does music, your cabin does food. Aphrodite cabin does decorations, Hephaestus sorts out the fireworks and so on..."

Philippa smiled sweetly at her friend "You couldn't seem to remember that last year..."

Megan stuck her tongue out in response "Hey you got your disco in the end didn't you?"

Philippa let it go "So does everyone know what they're doing then?"

Jordan raised a hand enthusiastically "I don't know, what should I do?"

Philippa opened her mouth to answer but Zane butted in "O.k firstly kiddo this ain't school so we don't raise our hands, you'll give Phil ideas. She's enough of an OCD case as it is..."

Philippa blushed "Shut up Zane, Jordan you can help Jodie and Hermes Cabin with the drinks, o.k?"

Dionysus looked up from "Gossip Vine" to fix Jodie with a flaming stare "Listen up you little curses. if I catch any of you punks with alcohol again, there will be severe consequences. Do I make myself clear children?"

Jodie glared at the table and Nico could see her hands were balled into fists "Crystal clear sir"

"Yeah, well I'm sure Hermes Cabin learnt their lesson" Jake Mason, the counsellor for Hephaestus Cabin, said quickly, clearly in a hurry to change the subject.

"Moving on" Chiron fixed Nico with a look "Which area are you planning to help with this year?"

Jake smiled at him from down the table "We could always use help with the fireworks mate, if you want?"

Nico considered, Hephaestus Cabin were alright but he didn't think he could stand working in that pit they called a Cabin again. He glanced around the table, who would it be fun to annoy for a week? His eyes rested on Philippa, who was trying to get some earth from out from under her finger nails "They always need more people in cooking don't they Philippa?"

She looked up in horror "What?...I mean" she paused to scowl at the grinning table "Actually since Rose and Lily turned up things have been a lot easier thanks."

Nico smirked, it was fun to wind her up "You know, you're making it sound like you don't want me"

Dionysus coughed loudly, fixing Philippa with a look that brooked no argument "So Pico will be working with Demeter Cabin, and that's sorted. Now is that all?"

Philippa sulkily shook her head "No, I'm afraid there are three complaints from Eris Cabin about this council. It's the usual stuff like that they aren't being recognised, they claim favouritism towards the Olympian demigods and there's even a conspiracy theory from Oliver Solicit"

"Not a-flipping-again" Freya sighed dramatically "It just isn't feasible to have a full council and they know it, I mean what do they want from us?"

"No taxation without representation" Malcolm said shortly.

"What?" Jodie asked, evidently confused "We don't tax them"

"I think they're just trying to cause trouble" Freya said snottily "We should ignore them"

"It's the principle" Malcolm burst out "I mean couldn't one of us just take on another cabin to represent? You know, just to make it a bit fairer."

Zane laughed "Why don't we put it to a vote?" He asked mockingly before turning to the others. "Who wants to double their workload and make these stupid meetings longer...hmm anyone? Don't be shy people, oh seriously anybody..."

Malcolm scowled across the table at Zane "Very funny, I'm glad you graced us with that outburst you moronic pain in the..."

Zane started to stand up but Nico yanked him back down "That's enough. Malcolm, there is no way anyone is seriously going to want to take on another cabin..."

"Yes because we all know how hard you have to work" Philippa snidely put in "I agree with Malcolm and" She raised her voice to stop Zane interrupting "I think we should put it to a vote"

Mr D picked that moment to put his magazine down "I think not Miss Reed, a decision like that comes under my job description and I'm still quite happy with the way I set up this council three years ago"

Nico thought that was case closed but his cousin looked imploringly at the god "But Sir..."

Mr D looked at her incredulously "The answer is no"

The redhead closed her eyes for a moment and then sighed "Any other business?" She waited for ten seconds before standing up "Right, everyone be ready for the feast next Sunday, meeting adjourned."

Mr D waved his arm and the table was suddenly covered with drinks and cards "Unless any of you fancy matching your poker skills up to mine I suggest you all skedaddle."

The counsellors filed out, Nico bringing up the rear. He looked out from the Big House Porch past a bunch of Hermes kids playing Basketball to Demeter Cabin; he should probably ask what Philippa what he would be doing for the feast or she'd be on his case before he could click his fingers.

There she was, already getting her siblings to line up to go to some activity. She started barking at the youngest blonde twins, what were their names, to stop bickering and get their armour on.

"Oh Hades, you are such a Nazi Weed" Nico said loudly, he'd have to get her attention without actually going too near to all the Demeter Cabin plant life. Last time he'd killed a few flowers by accident it'd taken Megan's older sister twenty minutes to get all the thorns out of his back.

She ignored him but he defiantly heard her muttering as she helped one of the younger ones to get his boots laced up properly "You'd know wouldn't you, little brother of Hitler"

Nico smiled coldly "Now now, there's no need to be so personal Weed"

Philippa ignored him "Jasmine honey you should really tie your hair up for swordplay" she said quickly, handing her sister a hair bobble.

Jasmine Pip scowled at her twin brother Callum "It's his fault Pippa, he stole my last hair band to make a catapult!"

"I did not" Callum said indignantly "Don't blame me just because you're always losing things!"

"No you're always nicking things" Poppy Farrow retorted "We should make you sleep in Hermes Cabin"

"Alright" Philippa said loudly; before her siblings started wrapping each other up with poison ivy. "That's enough, now come on we've got to get to the stables"

Nico rolled his eyes at their bickering "Weed, I do actually have to talk to you about this feast thing"

Philippa glared at him and then sighed "Fine, Jonathan you're in charge but nobody takes off until I get there or I'll have them peeling potatoes for the entire summer, got it?" The remainder of Demeter Cabin nodded quickly, mumbling under their breaths about their strict older sister, and filed off towards the Stables.

She turned towards him and snapped "Well, what do you want?"

Nico crossed his arms defensively "What do you want me to do in the kitchen?"

"Oh great you were serious" Philippa muttered "Fine, be in the kitchen first thing on Saturday morning or else I'll mummify you in grass and throw you off Zeus's fist into the lake"

Nico raised his eyebrows before muttering "Talk about redheads having a temper..." Philippa blushed almost as red as her bushy hair and turned on her heels and ran off after her Cabin.

"Trouble in paradise?" A cheerful voice asked from behind him.

Nico turned round to scowl at Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who was sitting on the porch fence "You're really cute together"

"Rubbish" Nico muttered "Apart from anything she's got freckles"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him, the freckles on her own nose catching the light "And since when is that a crime against the Gods?"

Nico stepped back from her glare and tried to think of a retort "Well...yeah but...we're cousins. It's sick to think we should go out. You're disgusting, shame on you"

Rachel looked confused "I thought gods transcended genetics?"

Nico shrugged, he recognised the random fact that Annabeth had come out with when he'd pointed out she was Percy's niece "Yeah well either way I still don't like her."

Rachel rolled her eyes and muttered something along the lines of "But you don't like anyone"

"Did you want something?" Nico snapped. At Rachel's hurt expression he softened his tone "Oh alright, I'm sick of just being stuck back at this place every summer"

Rachel slid off the porch gracefully "You know, you could always stay long enough to make some new friends. I know the summer is a bit cabin orientated but in the autumn it can really be quite nice with everyone hanging out together."

"Yeah sounds just my thing" Nico said sarcastically "Holding hands and singing Christmas Carols"

Rachel shrugged, smiling as she watched the pegasi take off and head towards the lake "It's your nose"

Nico looked at her, wierded out "What are you on...Rachel?"Rachel had gone pale and her legs seemed to buckle but as Nico tried to catch her his sight began to fill with eerie green mist.

Rachel had disappeared and Nico found himself staring at a picturesque pool surrounded by green forest. Unfamiliar faces flickered in the water and trees, like Naiads and Dryads only they were trapped, unable to reach him.

One of the tallest trees rustled in a sudden breeze and a dryad melted out of it. What stuck Nico most was that the dryad looked...old. Her face was as wrinkled and weathered as her bark and when she spoke her thin voice sounded as feeble as she looked:

_Danger stirs by the clear water,_

_The thousands rise to aid their master_

_Only Death and Life combined can stop the slaughter_

_Calm the Shepherd at his pasture_

_The enemy shall fall by the hand of a long dead daughter._

The image faded and Nico opened his mind to see Rachel kneeling over him nervously "What did I say?"

Nico smirked at her smugly "You just gave me another quest; you go tell Chiron it's urgent and I'll get the other main councillors, they need to hear this"


	3. Clearwater

Thank you very much for your story alerts, it helps to know somebody's interested.

Nico was getting seriously impatient as he glanced around the table.

Zane, who looked as irritated as Nico felt, snapped "Can't we just do this later?" Chiron silenced him with a look and returned to staring out of the window towards the stables.

How could it take so long for someone to catch up with Philippa and her cabin? They'd only set off an hour before Chiron had called this stupid meeting about the latest prophecy. Why they wouldn't just let him go and start, Nico thought irritably, he'd just figure out the prophecy on the way.

"Can't you just come and get me when they turn up?" Jodie asked Chiron hopefully as she fidgeted "You know what Freya's like, she'll have to change her outfit to match the saddle"

"Oh shut up Jodie" Megan said irritably "They won't be too long"

"Wait, you sent Freya?" Zane said incredulously "We'll be here for hours waiting for her"

"Maybe we could hear the prophecy" Malcolm suggested smoothly, ignoring Zane's unhelpful contribution "And start interpreting it?"

Chiron nodded slowly and turned to Rachel "Yes I think we should start...Rachel?"

As Rachel stood up and repeated the prophecy for the benefit of the others, Nico mulled it over. He was obviously Death but who was he going with?

Jodie raised her eyebrows "Well that's specific, by the water. Hardly any water in the world after all, it's only two thirds of the surface of the..."

"Shut up" Megan snapped "You're so immature"

As Jodie stuck her tongue out at her Jake grimaced "Thousands sounds really good too"

"What do you mean slaughter?" Jordan asked Rachel nervously "And is this the future or just something that might happen? And how come you can see it?"

Chiron intervened before Rachel was forced to explain the entire concept of being the Oracle "It describes a shepherd...perhaps Polyphemus?"

Nico shook his head "The thousands rise to aid their master, I don't think that works, unless we're talking about thousands of killer sheep?"

"I guess he does live on an island" Malcolm pointed out "But does he have any daughters?"

"Not that I know of" Chiron conceded "But we can't rule him out"

"Okay dokay, moving on" Rachel turned to Nico brightly "We've got death, who represents life?"

"Everybody else" Zane said unhelpfully, looking surprised when everyone glared at him.

Megan was clearly getting annoyed "Oh come on if you had to pick one cabin to represent life, which would you pick?"

There was silence for a minute before Jordan raised his hand slowly, much to Rachel's amusement "Demeter?"

It was one of those rare moments when Nico's face clearly showed what he was thinking "No"

The door burst open and the two out-of-breath girls hurried to their seats. Philippa glanced around the table "I'm sorry we're late. What did we miss?"

Megan smiled at her apologetically "You're going on a quest with Nico"

Philippa's eyes widened and she laughed nervously "Very funny, seriously what does the prophecy say?"

Rachel smiled brightly as she repeated the prophecy again; Nico watched Philippa's face fall almost comically as she reached the part about Death and Life combining. Turning to Chiron helplessly "So...who is going?"

Chiron turned to Nico "Nico has taken charge of the quest as he was the one to hear the prophecy, so you would do better to ask him"

Philippa's face was more worried than anything "But nobody from our cabin has been on a quest for decades"

Megan smiled determinately "Then you'll get to break the tradition won't you Phil?"

"Who says she's the one going?" Nico said sulkily, and to his surprise saw a brief moment of relief flash across her face before she scowled at him.

"You aren't taking any of my younger siblings near any slaughter" she said fiercely "So that leaves me"

Nico shrugged nonchalantly "Looks like I have to, any brainwaves Weed?"

She glanced at the table "I guess we'll have to take a car and start for Clearwater and see..."

Even Chiron looked surprised though he at least tried to hide it, unlike a rather surprised "What!"

She looked around at the shocked faces in surprise "Clearwater National Forest, at least I think that must be what the prophecy means. It can't just be near some clear water can it?"

Malcolm looked a little embarrassed "How'd you think of that?"

Philippa's gaze dropped sharply to the table "I...I've been there before"

Jodie raised her eyebrows "Where exactly is Clearwater National Forest then?"

"Idaho" Philippa said quickly, clearly uncomfortable with everyone looking at her.

"Near Troy no doubt?" Megan said slowly, her blue eyes boring into Philippa's brown ones

"Troy?" Jordan looked confused "Isn't that in the Mediterranean?"

"Yes it is" Philippa said quickly, glaring at Megan before turning to Nico "When should we set out?"

Nico considered the distance "Tomorrow" he said finally "You wouldn't want to miss your feast would you?"

Philippa nodded resignedly "And I suppose we'll have to drive as you can't...?"

Nico raised his eyebrows "Well unless you particularly fancy being blasted by lightning?"

Philippa looked like she'd like to respond but bit her lip instead and turned to Chiron "If that's all I really have a lot of sorting out to do if we leave tomorrow"

"Yes I suppose that's everything" Chiron said stood up "Back to your activities campers"

Nico hung back as the others filed out and was rewarded when Megan pounced on Philippa, hissing "What are you thinking?"

"Shut up Megan, it's not like I have much of a choice" Philippa muttered before she spotted Nico watching them "What?"

"Nothing" Nico said carefully "See you tomorrow Weed"

He passed them and hurried back to his cabin to start packing, or more accurately to undo his unpacking


	4. Mutated Monkeys

**Sorry it's been a while, I hope you enjoy the chapter :)**

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Nico felt a little bit embarrassed standing by the old green truck alone as half the stupid camp finished saying goodbye to Philippa.

Eight year old Rose Winters clung to her older sister's leg determinately "Please don't go Pippa, Jonathan's rubbish at making up bedtime stories"

Her twin sister Lily nodded vigorously "Yeah, you should stay here with us. You shouldn't go and fight the monsters, that's not what our cabin does"

Philippa put her rucksack down hugged her youngest siblings tightly "I'll be back soon, and Jonathan's not that bad at making up stories..."

Jonathan Summer smiled at his eldest half sister "Thanks Philippa, you sure you've got everything?"

"Certain" Philippa straightened up "Be good while I'm gone guys, see you on Friday for the feast"

She eased Rose off her leg and waved at her siblings before walking briskly over to where Nico and Chiron were waiting by the old Chevy that Jake had lent them. Nico rolled his eyes irritability "Finally!"

She shot him an extremely dirty look before looking at the truck and throwing her rucksack onto the back seat "Who's driving?"

"I am" Nico said slamming the truck's dodgy door shut "Now hurry up, we need to get going" She sighed but climbed into the passenger seat without audible complaint.

Chiron looked at them both encouragingly "Good luck heroes, remember what the prophecy said, you must work together to fight this enemy"

Philippa nodded nervously, Nico just started the truck and drove them out down through the Strawberry fields, out of camp. They drove in silence for about half an hour before Philippa, not used to silence for any length of time, tried to start a conversation "So what do you think has risen?"

Nico started at the road "I don't know"

She glanced at the road signs, blurred by the speed "Which way are we going?"

He carried on watching the road "I don't know"

She looked at the bright sunshine "Do you think the weather's nice?"

His hands clenched on the steering wheel "I don't care" Nico stressed rudely "Just be quiet"

Philippa glared at him before muttering "Sorry, just trying to start a conversation"

"Well don't" Nico said flatly "We can just drive in silence"

Three seconds later the old radio suddenly sparked into life and started blasting out upbeat country music, nearly causing Nico to crash the car "Fucking Tartarus, what is that?"

Philippa smirked at crackling radio "Carrie Underwood, good old Jake"

Nico stabbed at the volume button "Well bloody turn the stupid thing off!"

She narrowed her eyes at him and turned it back up "No, I like it. What have you got against country music?"

"You mean apart from its utter stupidity?" Nico asked, putting on a high pitched voice "But don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart"

"Shut up" Philippa said angrily "What would you know about music you flipping gothic prat?"

Nico smirked at her "I'd rather be a Goth than a redneck"

"Pardon?" she asked as the radio cut out ominously "What did you just call me?"

"A redneck" he turned on her "Say Weed did you hear about that guy from your old trailer park who died and left all his possessions and estate to his beloved widow? But don't worry she's not allowed to touch it until she turns fourteen"

"Shut up" Philippa was suddenly very interested in the scenery flashing by.

Nico was quite enjoying himself now "Wow you should really rename yourself Red; I mean you're a Redhead, Redneck and oh...your face has gone red too"

Philippa ignored him and leant back, her scarlet face the only sign that he might be getting to her "Didn't you want to travel in silence?"

Nico turned away and sped the clunking truck up in triumph "Thought you'd see things my way eventually"

Philippa visually bit back a retort before muttering "For your information I am not a redneck"

"Well I'm not a Goth either" Nico shot back

"I never said you were" she said indignantly before checking her tone "I said that you were gothic, and before you say anything those clothes are gothic"

He stared at the road for a few moments, concentrating on the signs before noting "You also called me a prat?"

"Well you were..."Philippa stared at her old ripped jeans before sighing "I'm sorry I called you a prat"

Nico glanced at her, noticing for the first time how...vulnerable she looked. He had only really ever seen her as the bossy, irritating daughter of Demeter who had drove him round the bend since she was nine and he was ten. But then again, they did have to work together for this ..."I'm sorry I acted like one"

She looked round at him in surprise "Erm...thanks?"

Nico didn't say anything else and the radio crackled into life again and neither of them could be bothered to turn off the upbeat chat show. They drove in silence for a few hours before Nico pulled over. He turned to a bored looking Philippa "Wait here while I get some more gas"

She looked at him irritability "Can't I just stretch my legs?"

"No" he said bluntly; she had almost no experience with monsters and would probably manage to get herself killed before they'd gone three states. "Just wait here"

Nico ignored the sulking girl in the truck and started pumping gas, scanning the surrounding area for any possible threats; there was an overcrowded family car with a tired looking mother yelling at two boys and a girl, a young couple relaxing outside the cafe, an old man watching the road sadly, two young boys hanging around outside the gas station and an intimidating man standing by his expensive but battered car.

It was the man he kept his eye on despite the pointing and giggling of the boys at the old truck. "Look Nico I'm going to get a drink" Philippa told him firmly, rooting through her rucksack before pulling out a purse "Do you want anything while I'm going?"

Great, Nico thought irritably the stupid idiot had attracted the attention of the creepy guy who was now staring at them "Just stay there Weed"

Philippa looked at him and said very slowly "Look Di Angelo I am thirsty and judging by your driving we won't be stopping for hours and therefore I am getting a drink, o.k?" She pushed the door open before he could answer

Nico didn't look away from the staring man but pushed the truck door shut before she could get out "Will you just do what you're told you stupid moron!"

Nico caught the man's eyes, shit he looked angry. He opened the door a little "Look Weed there's a guy over there and think he might be a monster so I think we should go...Weed?"

He glanced around in time to see Philippa run into the gas station, followed by the strange man "Oh for the love of Hades...Weed!"

He pegged it after her, running past the gathering audience and accidentally knocking over one of the boys "Watch it midget"

He skidded to a halt on the linoleum floor of the small gas station in time to see the guy grab Philippa's arm "Hey leave her alone!" He drew his sword and sliced through the man's neck, or at least he meant to.

The mortal guy turned and Nico noticed with a sinking feeling that he was stood protectively in front of Philippa "I think you're the one who should back off buddy, you think you're such a big man picking on little girls?"

"This is none of your business buddy" Nico growled back "Me and my...We need to get going, so if you would excuse us"

Philippa laughed nervously as they squared up and stepped neatly between them "Look, Rick was it? There's obviously been some sort of mistake...my brother's just a bit over protective but he wouldn't ever hurt me."

Rick didn't seem to be buying it "Look Miss you don't have to protect morons like him"

Nico felt like dropping his sword and socking this nosy prat but Philippa was still in the way "O.k I admit he was being an idiot but" She leaned forward and lowered her voice so Nico could barely hear "Things have been tough lately, you see we're actually driving to our Mum's funeral and we only just heard that she'd died and well things have been difficult with our Dad..."

Rick's face softened and he suddenly looked very guilty "Oh I'm so sorry...I err...Look I...Do you need anything?"

"Yes, to get going" Nico said rudely "Come on...Sis"

Nico stormed out of the building, highly embarrassed and ridiculously irritated at her for saying they were siblings. He looked behind him to see her paying for the gas and two bottles of water, why did she need two flipping bottles anyway? Was she going to try and grow a sunflower or something equally as ridiculous on the back seat?

Already in a really bad mood Nico turned towards the rust bucket of a truck, to see two mutated monkeys trying to hotwire it.

"Fucking Tartarus" he shouted charging forward with his sword drawn, they cackled with excitement as they locked the doors and laughed as he yanked at the handle "Get the hell out of there you stupid fleabags"

Philippa caught up with him, her own cheeks red from embarrassment "If you must swear can you swear normally, you're drawing a lot of attention"

"Oh I'm sorry" Nico hissed sarcastically "I didn't know two of your siblings had stowed away in the trunk so they gave me a shock, can you get them to open the doors please!"

Philippa clenched her fists and tried to stop looking like she was sucking a lemon "A truck doesn't have a trunk you stupid..." She took a deep breath and handed him the water bottles "Oh stand back or something might accidently hit you and kill you and that would be a real shame..."

Nico quickly stepped back. She was probably joking but then again...

Philippa closed her eyes, raised her arms and started chanting under her breath. As Nico watched strands of Ivy snaked their way out of the green rucksack, unnoticed by the chattering monkeys. They wrapped themselves around the oblivious animals, pinning them to the chairs. Then they pulled themselves tight and the monkeys started to screech angrily as they doors clicked open.

Philippa relaxed and glanced at Nico smugly "Happy?"

"Never" he said shortly, holding his sword against the neck of the monkey. Seeing this it changed shape into a shortest man, it looked rather like a gnome or a dwarf...or a youngish boy.

It looked up at Nico imploringly "Oh come on, you're a hero right?"

The other one changed shape too "I think they prefer demigod now Akmon besides this lot aren't..."

"Shut up Passalos, Demigod then, and your lovely friend is a demigoddess right?" Akmon asked quickly "Come on friend, let us go free"

"Yeah" Passalos begged "Hercules did, everyone likes Hercules, we met him and he said we were funny and let us go"

"Why should we care?" Nico began coldly but was interrupted by a squeal from next to him.

"Wait I know who you are, you're the Cercopes!" Philippa said excitedly "I though Zeus turned you to stone?"

"He did" Akmon admitted "For a bit Miss..."

Philippa ignored the dirty looks Nico was giving her "Miss Philippa Weed and he's Nico di Angelo, hey you're supposed to tell great jokes aren't you?"

Passalos blushed "I don't know...Hercules talked us up a lot, if I'm honest I think he was just a bit tired of killing things"

Akmon managed to kick his brother through his bindings "Shut up man, you know that's not why he let us go"

Nico coughed loudly "Was it because you were irritating him beyond comprehension? Oh no that would have made him kill you..."

Philippa looked nervously at Nico "Can't we just let them go?"

Nico looked at her incredulously "Oh come on Weed...What sort of demigod are you?"

Philippa's face set determinately and she clicked her fingers "The kind that doesn't feel the need to kill everything"

The Cercopes scampered away, Passalos pausing to declare "Thank you Miss for helping us, if you ever call us we'll help you." He glared at Nico "And you, well keep checking over your shoulder"

Nico watched them go before turning to Philippa, who couldn't meet his eyes "Well that was interesting, by the way just so we're clear on this the Neman Lion does not want a ball of string to play with"

She blushed and climbed into the car "So you would have killed them? They hadn't done anything to us really..."

"They're monsters; whether they look like kids or lions" Nico said coldly "You should learn that, quickly"

And with that encouraging piece of advice Nico started off down the highway again.


	5. Back Seat Driver

**Merry Christmas everyone, I've revamped the previous chapters a bit but nothing major has changed. I'd just like to say that I'm English so anything that sounds weird or wrong, or geographicaly makes no sense feel free to point out to me. **

**Thank you and enjoy the chapter**

* * *

Nico was bored, and tired of course, but mainly bored.

He'd been driving all day, in pretty much uninterrupted silence after the first gas station, and his eyelids were starting to droop, just a little bit.

"Oh for goodness sake" Philippa's irritated voice cut through the lovely peace and quiet "You're practically falling asleep, let me drive"

Nico forced his eyes open "I'm fine, I just need some cold air". He opened one of the windows, dousing them both with chilly night air "That's better"

Philippa pulled her coat from the floor over her like a blanket "Great, now we can freeze to death instead of crashing" Nico ignored her and she sighed "Just let me drive while you get some sleep, we're running out of gas anyway"

"No" Nico snapped "I'm fine, I can handle it"

Philippa watched his eyelids drop again incredulously "Clearly Di Angelo"

Nico turned to glare at her "If you are so fussed Weed then why don't you get some sleep?"

"I slept earlier" she retorted "As you can see from the fact I can keep my eyes open"

"I wondered how you kept your mouth shut for so long" Nico said snidely "Try it again"

Philippa shook her head and turned away, muttering "Stupid egotistical moron"

Nico concentrated on staying awake, arguing with someone seemed to help "If you're going to insult me Weed at least use real words"

"I think you'll find that in the dictionary there's a picture off you under the word stupid" Philippa said haughtily making Nico smirk at her, it was a bad comeback and they both knew it "Shut up Di Angelo"

They lapsed into silence as Philippa started rummaging in that rucksack of hers and Nico starting staring at the never ending lights of the highway, then he suddenly swore loudly before swerving to avoid the badly modified hatchback with dodgy music blaring out of it that insisted on over taking them at eighty miles an hour.

Philippa was sent flying into the old door and Nico barely managed to keep control of the truck, he pulled over. "Those stupid..." Nico started fuming before catching sight of his cousin's face "Oh come on, that wasn't my fault"

She stormed around the truck, wrenching his door open "Get in the back. I am driving from now on" her tone brooked no argument and Nico climbed in the back meekly. She climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut before starting the truck "Get some sleep"

"Yes mother" Nico said sullenly, resting his head against the window and watching the other cars speed past them "You know that a snail just overtook us Weed"

"Go to sleep" growled Philippa "I'll wake you up when I can't drive anymore" The last thing Nico wanted to do was start taking orders from the bossy daughter of Demeter but he couldn't suppress a yawn.

He heard Philippa sigh and her thick brown coat landed on him, he pushed it off angrily "Hey what was that for?"

"I thought you could use it as a pillow" Philippa said exasperatedly "I wasn't trying to kill you"

"Oh" Nico hoped that she couldn't see him blushing in the wing mirror "Err...thanks"

"You're welcome" he saw her smug little smirk and scowled at her before he folded up the coat, leaning it against the cool window. He put his head on the lumpy thing and sleep came quickly.

_Nico found himself watching a forest clearing where there appeared to be some kind of a party going on "Mother, mother look at me" a young boy off about ten stood on a rock preparing to dive into the deep blue pool._

_A group of what Nico assumed were dryads from their clothing sat on the grassy bank, one with long auburn hair and deep brown eyes looked up nervously "Master Phaunos please be careful"_

_A truly majestic woman, or maybe she was a goddess, with dark braided hair and piercing green eyes laughed "Peace Kaia, no harm will come to him in the water where his father can protect him."_

_Kaia nodded her head respectfully "I apologise my lady Circe"_

"_Are you watching mother?" the boy, Phaunos asked eagerly._

_Circe smiled coldly at her son "Of course I am watching darling, show me your diving skills"_

_Phaunos dive-bombed into the pool, soaking his audience. Coming to the surface he grinned over at them "That was funny wasn't it mother?"_

_Circe didn't look as beautiful soaked to the skin with her face twisted with anger "Do you think this is a joke Phaunos? You are the son of the lord of the seas, not a common village boy; how on earth will you serve your father by playing such childish pranks?" _

_One of the dryads tried to intervene "My Lady I am sure the boy meant only to..."_

_Circe pushed her away and pointed at her son "Silence Rasia, Phaunos you are a disgrace to me and to your father!"_

_Circe stalked away, followed by most of the dryads. Only Kaia stayed to comfort the boy who looked shocked at his mother's outburst, a few tears began to spill down his cheeks."Oh Master Phaunos do not cry" Kaia said, making the boy wipe his tears away furiously "Your Lady mother is...anxious for your success" _

_Phaunos looked up, confused "My success?"_

"_She wishes your father to claim you at Olympus and that you are recognised as a god" Kaia knelt down by the pool._

_Phaunos's eyes were wide "She wants me to be a god on Olympus? But I am not that important..."_

_Kaia sighed "It is her plan that you shall challenge one of the minor gods, should you win you would take their place" but then she shook her head "But to make such a challenge would be madness"_

_Seeming to only hear the Phaunos smiled with anticipation "Imagine it Kaia, I a god on Olympus". "Mother! I am ready to begin my training" He scrambled out of the pool and ran off after his mother. _

_The dryad Kaia watched him go sadly, the wind whipping her hair around her face she opened her mouth to speak, "Nico" she said softly, wait that wasn't Kaia's voice "Nico?"_

"Wake up" Philippa said gently as Nico's eyes shot open "I thought you might to get something to eat while we stopped"

"Forget that" Nico said, sitting up "Do you know anything about a guy called Phaunos?"

Philippa shook her head slowly "No..."

"Well I had a dream about him as a..." Nico paused "Weed you know that sometimes Demigods have dreams that are more than dreams like that can help them in quests by showing them stuff"

Philippa looked like she might hit him "Of course I do" she snapped.

Nico shrugged off the awkward moment "Yeah well anyway I saw this guy as a child, he's a son of Circe and..."

"I know who she is" Philippa butted in "An immortal sorceress daughter of Hecate who lives on the island of Aiaia in the Sea of Monsters, best known for her affair with..." She faltered under Nico's glare "What?"

"If you're finished quoting the textbook we'll get back from the blindingly obvious" Nico said snidely "He's a son of Circe and Poseidon but he was brought up by his mother and a bunch of dryads, probably on Aiaia though I couldn't really tell. Anyway his mum obviously had big ambitions for him; she wanted him to challenge one of the gods to earn a place on Olympus."

Philippa winced "I bet that went down well"

Nico couldn't disagree; he'd cringed at the idea himself "Yes but what has this Phaunos got to do with us?"

Philippa suddenly straightened up; staring towards a rectangular bland building "I bet that motel has internet access"

Nico climbed out of the truck, aware that his legs hadn't totally woken up yet. He gave the neon signed building a glance "So what?"

Philippa swung her rucksack over her shoulder "So we can look this Phaunos up"

Nico had absolutely no idea what she was on about and it must have showed on his face because she sighed exasperatedly again and pulled out her flowery purse "Take this and go order us both some breakfast from that diner over there"

Nico stare at the purse with its pattern of forget me not's "You can't be serious"

"Oh grow up" Philippa said with a small smile, taking out twenty dollars "It shouldn't be any more than that"

Nico took the money "How long will you be?"

"I shouldn't be more than half an hour" Philippa said, stowing the purse back in her bag "Wait for me in the diner, o.k?"

"O.k" Nico agreed, before remembering who was in charge "Don't be any longer!"

She rolled her eyes at him before walking off muttering about Sons of Hades with "massive superiority complexes"


	6. Breakthrough

**Enjoy the chapter, anybody who's reading**

* * *

Nico felt really uncomfortable with all the eyes of the diners on him.

He could understand how odd it must look, a lanky emo looking teenager sitting on his own at one in the morning. But seriously, didn't that bearded guy have anything better to do than stare at him? The fact he'd ordered two meals made it even worse, they must think he'd been stood up or something or maybe that he was a drug dealer meeting his supplier. Zeus forbid they'd think it was anything innocent.

The overweight waitress came waddling over, giving him a look of barely disguised irritation "Son you waiting for someone or what?"

"What's it to you?" Nico asked rudely "You've got plenty of empty tables left"

The waitress took an uncertain step back "Now there's no need to take that tone young man"

"More coffee" Nico muttered, turning back to the grimy window. Philippa had ten more minutes before he dragged her out of the motel and back into the truck. Nico had a bad feeling that demigods using the internet had the same effect as using a phone and he didn't want to be here a second longer than they needed to.

The waitress handed him the coffee warily and he mumbled some thanks before taking a sip of the bitter drink. It was barely lukewarm and Nico thought about complaining but decided not to draw attention to himself as a group of tall, beefy looking guys entered the diner.

Nico slid down in his seat and pricked up his ears as they slumped into the booth next to his. He heard a gravelly voice mutter "I still don't see why his royal highness gets to get the demigods Piercer. I mean I was the one to catch the signal that they were here but no...Just because he's the son of the great Trampler he gets to finish them off and I have to beg for scraps like some runt"

Nico tried very hard not to breathe while getting a grip on his sword as the one called Piercer sniffed "I still say that they're here, I swear I can smell one right now Crusher. And it's a different smell to the one Slurper followed into that motel, sort of bitterer..."

"Bah" Crusher snorted "It's your hay fever playing tricks on you, I admit there's a whiff but it probably just that they ate here before they went into the motel."

"I swear it's more than that" Piercer muttered as the waitress moved over to take their order.

Nico tried very hard to do what Annabeth had told him to do in a dangerous situation, detach himself from the situation and look at it like a training scenario.

One, they were facing a larger force.

Two, they were separated.

Three, his partner had no chance whatsoever without his help.

So he needed to get out of the diner and into the motel before this Slurper found Philippa. Simple. Well apart from the fact that there was two monsters between him and the door. What were you supposed to do when outnumbered and surrounded by mortals?

Nico decided to try and sneak out quietly, to take them out would take time that he and more urgently his useless cousin didn't have. He edged out of the booth and slunk past the grouching monsters that didn't pay him any attention; they seemed more interested in the smell coming from the kitchen of their burgers. Or he at least really hoped they were drooling because of the burgers.

Nico ran across the car park and into the motel. He charged up to the check in desk, ignoring the indignant cries of the mortals who were queuing. "Where did the redheaded girl who came through here go?"

"Excuse me" the girl behind the desk looked alarmed "You can't just storm in here and jump the queue and..."

Nico cut over her "Look" he glanced at her tarnished name badge "Nicky, do you know which girl I mean? Quite short, frizzy red hair, brown eyes...Look I need to find her!"

Nicky was drawn in despite herself, leaning forward conspiratorially "Are you her boyfriend or something?"

Nico resisted the temptation to draw his sword on her "No...I'm her brother"

Nicky smiled "Oh right...I can see the family resemblance"

"What resemblance!" Nico said incredulously "Oh forget it, which way did she go?"

"She went..." Nicky was interrupted by a loud scream somewhere to their right "Wait. what was that?"

Nico had already sped off, drawing his sword and preparing for a fight. He sped down a corridor and towards some double doors, towards the ominous sound of crashing and a deep rumbling "Where are you? Me no wanna play hide and seek..."

"How about we play a game with my sword?" Nico yelled, bursting through the doors. The Laistrygonian Giant turned on him with an expression of confusion.

"Come on then you overgrown pile of mud" Nico yelled, keeping his eyes peeled for a flash of red that meant his cousin was o.k.

Slurper lunged for him but Nico was far too quick and sidestepped him, slashing at the giant's leg and causing him to howl in pain. Nico tried to duck for cover under one of the computer desks but the giant threw the desk across the room "Nasty little demigod, come here. I'm gonna tear you...Ow!"

An office chair had just collided with his head causing the giant to spin round "Hey, over here" Philippa shouted.

Slurper turned on her, giving Nico the golden opportunity to drive his sword right through him. Unfortunately he was too busy wondering how the heck Philippa had managed to throw an office chair across the room for a few seconds. An infuriated scream of "Di Angelo, will you fricking wake up" brought him back to his senses and he stabbed Slurper just before he reached the cornered Philippa.

The Laistrygonian Giant exploded into dust, utterly covering both of them. There were a few minutes of tense silence before Philippa coughed "Eww!"

She tried desperately to brush it off her clothes "This is disgusting, seriously you do this all the time?"

"Well its quite clear you don't" Nico snapped "What would you have done if I hadn't turned up? You were hiding like a little kid; I mean you hadn't even drawn your sword!"

"I don't have one" Philippa shouted at him before going very pink "I don't have a sword" she repeated quietly.

Nico was torn between exasperation and pity "But you had one in Capture the flag, you know, the one you hit me over the head with"

"That was a camp sword" She scowled at him "And it was an accident"

"Felt like one" Nico muttered and her scowl intensified "Alright, alright but really? What were you planning on doing when you met a monster?"

She avoided the question, looking around the room "Oh my gods, what are we going to do about this?"

He looked at her "About what?"

"The completely trashed room" she said impatiently "How in Hades are we going to explain this?"

Nico indicated the fire exit leading onto the motel car park "We don't"

They ran out of the motel, Philippa pausing to glance back guiltily "Shouldn't we at least..."

Nico didn't let her finish "Oh my gods Weed just get in the stupid truck. And shoot me if I ever look like I'm going to listen to you again"

She glared at him huffily "I'd shoot you quite happily"

They climbed into the truck, not speaking, Nico taking the driver's seat without much argument.

After a few minutes on the highway Nico remembered the reason she'd been in the stupid motel in the first place. "So did you find anything?" he asked in a much more civil tone.

"What?" Philippa looked at him before getting it "Oh, a little bit" She yawned and Nico wondered how long he'd been asleep "Most of it was in your dream but apparently the god he tried to challenge was Pan...I heard, that you met him, once."

Nico remembered the god of the wild in his little cavern, remembered how he was clinging on to life. He felt weary just remembering it, "Once" he admitted.

Philippa continued "Well, on one site there was this legend...but none of the other sources mentioned it. I think it was just a story..."

"Just a story" he echoed incredulously "Yeah, sure"

"How about we play a game with my sword?" she retorted in a mocking voice.

"At least I have one" he muttered but Philippa brushed him off

"Anyway" she continued with her findings "Phaunos went to challenge Pan for the godship..."

"That isn't a word" Nico interrupted

She glared at him again, did this girl ever smile? "Oh you know what I mean you...Phaunos was god of the woods and by definition the trees, so he thought he was entitled to be the god of the wild but Pan..."

Nico nodded "Wasn't so keen on the idea, yeah"

"So he, he trapped Phaunos inside a large tree and doomed him to stay there" Philippa continued "But the dryads had supported him and Pan, to make sure they never rose against him again, he bound them to their own trees. And that's why they can't move more than a mile from their trees, or so the site said. But I never heard that before which makes me wonder..."

"But that makes sense" Nico interrupted "I mean Clearwater's a forest isn't it? With thousands of trees and in that movie..."

"But that still doesn't explain everything" Philippa argued "For one thing this Phaunos certainly never had a daughter, he wasn't free long enough."

"Yeah well, it'll work out" Nico said knowingly "It always does"

"Great" Philippa muttered and it took Nico five minutes to realise she was being sarcastic.


End file.
